Barringer High School - Athenaeum Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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WILLIAM, A CHARACTER SKETCH. 8 did he enjoy more than good wine and venison from the Royal deer. When, we meet “ Brave Robin Hood,” again, he is knocking loudly at the door of this worthy friar’s cell. The “Jolly Hermit ” admits his captain, who summons him to the assistance of the captured party of Ivanhoe. Quickly the friar is trans- formed from a monk to a green-coated woodsman. When the jester remonstrated with the Clerk for transforming himself from a “ Holy Hermit ” to a sinful forester, the Jolly Hermit replies, “ I will but con- fess the sins of my green cloak to my grey- friar’s frock, and it will be well again.” Next in the bloody assault of the castle, foremost among the brave Englishmen moves a little band of yeomen, clad in Lincoln green, doing brave work to aid the weak and oppressed. Fast fly the arrows from the long bows of the woods- men, until the castle walls are stripped of defenders. After their weary siege of the day be- fore, we find the merry woodsmen resting from their labors beneath their trysting tree in Hart-hill Walk, where they have collected their rich spoils from the castle. So much law and order prevailed among this outlawed band that not one of them would have dared touch a part of the booty until their captain had divided it, giving to each one his share according to his rank. Their trysting-tree was an aged oak that stood in the midst of the forest. Be- neath the tree the outlaws had built i throne of the green turf, on which the chief was seated at all their myste riots midnight meetings. Robin Hood’s heart was kind and sy®. pathetic, for when the daughter of Isaat of York is lost he aids the distracted fathe in his search for the beautiful Rebecc . The last scene of all best shows, I think the character of the brave outlawed yec man. After the skirmish with the ban; of men sent by Prince John to kill h: brother, the King, the “Black Knight acknowledges himself to be Richard c England. Almost as soon as the name i spoken, the yeomen, following their chief: example, kneel at the feet of King Rid ard, tender him their allegiance, and be, his pardon for their wild deeds. Rob: Hood, although “ king of the forests,” w. willing to kneel at the feet of his tit appointed monarch, and, without a mt mur, receive from his hands the punis ment for his wild deeds. King Rich nobly said : “ King of Outlaws and Priix of Good Fellows! No deed of thine dee in our absence shall ever be rememl en against thee.” A study of this brave outlaw’s charact reveals to us certain traits and noble qui ties that made his name long remember? and honored in England. A true Englk man, truly he answered, when he saii “I am the friend of my country and my country’s friends.” WILLIAM. (A Character Sketch.) NATHAN KUSSY, ’9O. TILLIAM was my chosen companion, my intimate friend, the child of my care. He was very gentle when not aroused, at times almost lamb- like in his disposition. But I grieve say that William was not admired for : good looks. It did hurt me to hear P rick O’Flynn remark, “ Oi don’t want

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SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF ROBIN HOOD. 7 j shall l e that most perfect thing which ■ God has created—a true, pure, strong 1 woman, sent into this world to be a helper and companion. Nor in so being shall £ she lose in physical power what she has t gained in mental strength, for, although I the predominance of physical matter may I be wanting, she will possess that equipoise iof mind which is needed to make lip a well-balanced nature, and her delicacy will I be the symbol of her refinement. I Ah ! did a spirit enter into that artist’s |f heart? Did a small voice whisper in his rear? or was the gift of foresight given to V him that he could thus penetrate that veil (which hangs between the present and future to see the woman whose coming he heralds? Sweet maiden, I look in your fair feat- ures and I read a prophecy. I see a promise of good without end. I see a new race of women, grand in their union of mental strength with feminine graces, and I see a world made brighter, better by their presence in it. He thou, O maiden fair! the dawn of a new womanhood, and as that dawn ripens into day, may the world be able to say of thy descendant that she is “A perfect woman, nobly planned, To warn, to comfort and command.” (SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF ROBIN H(X)I), RELATED IN “ IVANHOE.” MARGARET NICHOLS, ’90. NO character in “ I van hoe ” excites more interest than the mysterious yeoman who, in his coat of Lincoln green, with his bow at his side and his arrows in his belt, attends the Tournament of Prince John. There, by his outspoken opinions, he incurs the disfavor of that Prince, whochal- ! lenges him to contend, on the following day, in the feats of archery. He accepts the challenge, and shoots an arrow from his bow with such skill as to split, exactly in the middle, a thin, straight willow wand. Great was the amazement of those who witnessed the shot; for never before had they beheld such skillful archery. This skillful archer was Robin Hood, or better known in “Ivanhoe” as “ Locks- ley.” In the next scene it is night time. The swineherd, now I van hoe's faithful attend- ant, is travelling through a dark, deep ravine, on both sides of which are high banks, overgrown with dwarf trees and bushes. Suddenly, from the depths of the thicket, four men spring out and seize poor Gurth and conduct him to their cap- tain, who proves to be Locksley, the win- ner of the golden horn at the Tournament. The captain counts the swineherd’s money, and, finding that there is no more than enough to purchase his freedom, returns it to its owner; for of Robin Hood it may truly be said, that he was “of all theeves the most gentle theefe.” But before Gurth is dismissed he must contend in fair fight with the sturdy miller of the robber gang. Fiercely they fight, and well. But Gurth gives such powerful blows with his club that the miller is glad to yield, and Gurth is escorted from the woods, charged to tell no one of his nightly adventure. It is said that Robin Hood was religious. And, from Sir Walter Scott’s account, a jolly Father Confessor he had for his band. Friar Tuck, or better known as the “Jolly Hermit,” inhabited a little hut in a lonely part of Sherwood forest. He was more fond of feasting than fasting, and nothing

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WILLIAM, A CHARACTER SKETCH. 9 hurret yer feelin’s, but yez can’t dcnoy thet William raly ain’t ez beautiful as Vanus.” I acknowledge that Patrick was, to a certain extent, correct in his estimate of William’s personal appearance. Although I never had the pleasure of forming the young lady’s acquaintance, still I believe that I may with impunity assert, and my assertion is based on the charms attributed to the aforesaid lady, that he was not specially endowed with that fatal gift— beauty. In this respect an affinity existed between us. In spite of William’s gentleness, he cherished some germs of original sin which caused him to be disliked and disowned by his family. But I loved William and brought him to my home and made him the sharer of my joys and sorrows. Time sped ; the days came and went, and in the quietude of my home William thrived. Gradually he learned to appreciate my society; my advances were no longer re- buffed ; but his conduct was at times very' improper. I sometimes gently stroked his head and endeavored in a kind tone of voice to expostulate with him on his ill- behavior. But he also expostulated, and in such a manner as to quite vanquish me by his forcible arguments. So the matter dropped—and I generally yielded. I do not claim that William possessed any abnormal intelligence, and yet a cir- cumstance once occured which greatly impressed me. I was sitting in my cabin, and having, like many other isolated indi- viduals, acquired the habit of soliloquiz- ing» I gave utterance to my thoughts. “William,” I said, “it appears to me that you are about the homeliest specimen that I ever saw.” William walked to the door and gazed thoughtfully at the distant hills. “It seems to me you are totally de- praved, William.” He said nothing, but continued to gaze at the hills. “ I have endeavored to civilize you, but my efforts have signally failed.” Not a word from William. “ I am aware that you are an----” Reader, you may not believe me; you may call me a prevaricator, but it is the plain truth that, before I completed the sentence, William turned his head toward me, and in a contemptuous voice cried, “ Bah !” I was wide awake and distinctly heard that one contemptuous exclamation. Though William was usually docile, he was easily irritated. On hot summer days I loved to stroll along the banks of a broad pond near my dwelling, and let the cool breeze fan my noble brow. One day I seated myself upon a mossy rock beside the placid water, and as I gazed into its depths, my thoughts reverted to former days. I thought of childhood, of the parents who nurtured me. As I sat there lost in revery, a picture of the old school house rose before me. I saw the irate teacher brandishing his rattan as he strove to preserve order. I heard the loud whisper, “ Ba-a-ah.” The prosaic voice of William dispelled my dreams. Would he never allow me to enjoy a moment of calm recreation? I turned with an angry exclamation and gave him a rebuke in the side. William did not utter a sound, either of pain or anger—he simply arose. By a strange co- incidence I arose at the same time-----!! Do not question me further in regard to that occurence. It is always painful to have certain recollections inadvertently aroused, especially is this the case when said recollections tend to produce mental pictures which are not at all conducive to pleasant associations. One autumn afternoon it flashed upon me that I had not seen William since early